The V&A East Museum Is Set To Open Its Doors in Spring 2026

Summary

• The V&A East Museum is set to open on April 18, 2026, in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park
• Designed by O’Donnell + Tuomey, it features free “Why We Make” galleries and a Thomas J. Price sculpture at the entrance

The Victoria and Albert Museum has confirmed that the long‑anticipated V&A East Museum will officially open its doors on April 18, 2026, in London’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. Conceived as part of the East Bank cultural complex, the venue represents a legacy of the 2012 London Olympics and a major regeneration project for Stratford. The museum will span five storeys and serve as a hub for global creativity, showcasing art, design, fashion, performance and architecture in a space designed to reflect the multicultural vibrancy of East London.

The building has been designed by O’Donnell + Tuomey, with interiors shaped by leading design studios to emphasize openness and accessibility. The permanent “Why We Make” galleries, created by JA Projects in collaboration with A Practice for Everyday Life and artist Larry Achiampong, will feature more than 500 objects from the V&A’s collections. Highlights include Leigh Bowery’s avant‑garde ballet costumes, Derek Jarman’s bold set model for Don Giovanni and a 17th‑century gown by Anna Maria Garthwaite, a pioneering textile designer in east London’s silk‑weaving district. The museum will also feature monumental works such as a sculpture by Thomas J Price, greeting visitors at the entrance.

Programming will combine permanent displays with rotating commissions and exhibitions that spotlight contemporary creativity. The inaugural temporary exhibition, The Music is Black: A British Story, will explore 125 years of Black music‑making in Britain, featuring Joan Armatrading’s childhood guitar, fashion worn by Little Simz and newly acquired photography by Jennie Baptiste and Dennis Morris. Eight new commissions by artists, including Tania Bruguera, Es Devlin, and Carrie Mae Weems will also debut across the museum and its sister site, the V&A East Storehouse.

Complementing these exhibitions, the museum’s café will partner with Jikoni, known for “cooking without borders,” while collaborations with East Bank partners such as BBC Music, Sadler’s Wells East and UCL East will anchor an annual festival celebrating creativity and community.